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  • Fast access to diagnostic tests and scans
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A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan uses magnets and radio waves to produce two- and three-dimensional pictures of the inside of your body.

It’s suitable for every part of the body, including bones, soft tissues (such as blood vessels, ligaments and muscles) and the brain, and can help to diagnose and monitor different medical conditions.

A referral letter from a consultant or GP is required before booking any diagnostic investigation.


Why you might need it

Your doctor may recommend an MRI scan for a number of reasons.

Parts of the body examined with MRIs include:

  • Joints and muscles — an MRI scan is often used to look at tissue around joints and bones, and can help to diagnose injuries to your elbow, hip and knee. It can also detect conditions such as arthritis, bursitis, crepitus or tendon tears.
  • Heart — MRI scans can capture images of your heart including the valves and blood vessels, helping to diagnose heart defects or disease. They may be used to examine the heart after a heart attack.
  • Brain — an MRI scan can be used to help analyse the brain for tumours, possible causes of a headache and abnormal tissue growth. It may also be used to assess any damage to the brain after a stroke.
  • Tumours — MRIs  can produce detailed images of soft tissue, which show the difference between normal and diseased tissue such as a tumour. It can also check the progress of a tumour to establish whether it is shrinking or growing.
  • Bowel incontinence — an MRI scan may be recommended to detect bladder cancer.

 

The magnetic field from an MRI scan affects metals such as iron, nickel and steel, so they're not suitable for everyone. You might not be able to have one if you have a pacemaker, certain implants, artificial joints or metal clips in your body for example.

As a precaution, MRI scans are not usually done on women who are less than 12 weeks pregnant.

If you decide to have your scan with us, you will be looked after by an experienced multi-disciplinary team.

A radiologist, a doctor trained in reading MRI scans, will examine the images and a report will be sent to the doctor who requested your test. 

Your procedure

Having a scan can be an anxious time, and our experienced and caring staff will be there every step of the way.

When having an MRI scan, you’ll need to wear loose clothing without zips or metallic parts, and remove any jewellery, hearing aids, watches or glasses. We will also ask you to leave behind coins, keys and credit cards.

An MRI scan is painless. Depending on the type of scan you have, you may need to have an injection of a special dye (contrast medium), which makes certain parts of your body show up more clearly on the scan.

During the procedure, your radiographer will help position you on a special table that slides into the MRI scanner. This will usually be repeated several times and the entire examination generally takes around 30 minutes (but can last up to an hour depending on the examination). You will be able to talk to your radiographer throughout the scan.

You will hear some noise during the procedure - this is completely normal and is the sound of the MRI scan machine taking the images. We will provide you with earplugs or headphones and often you can choose to listen to music if you wish.

During the scan, you should breathe quietly and normally and keep very still as any movement will blur the images. 

MRI scans are considered very safe with no known side effects from exposure to magnetic or radio waves. Adverse reactions to the special contrast dye sometimes used are very rare and can usually be treated immediately.

We will talk to you about the possible risks and complications of having this procedure and how they apply to you.

Preparing for your MRI scan

A referral letter from a consultant or GP is required before booking any diagnostic investigation.

An MRI scan is usually done as an outpatient procedure. Most MRI scans need no special preparation. However, if you are having an abdominal or pelvic scan you may be asked to follow special instructions about eating and drinking. Please see your appointment letter for details.

Preparing for your treatment

We'll try to make your experience as easy and relaxed as possible. Our team will give you tailored advice in the run up to your visit so you know how to prepare for your MRI scan.

When you arrive at the hospital, we may also ask you some questions about your health, previous operations, allergies and any medicines you are taking. This helps ensure it is safe for you to have an MRI scan.

How much does an MRI scan cost?

Please contact us for a quote.